In the Midwest, grilling season continues all year round, regardless of the temperature outside. So when the holiday season rolls around, don’t rule out preparing your turkey on the grill.
Many mouths water just at the thought of stoking up the grill and smelling that sweet aroma of the holiday bird cooking to perfection. Guaranteed to impress your family and friends, a grilled turkey is easier to prepare than you may think. Plus, it frees up oven space for other side dishes and holiday treats.
Learn how to grill a turkey for your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal with these steps from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Weight is really not an issue when grilling a turkey, as long as it fits in your grill with the lid down. Note that turkeys over 24 pounds may not fit under your grill lid.
Additionally, at least one inch clearance between the turkey and the lid is ideal, so think structure. A broad, flat bird will fit better than one with a high breast bone.
Refer to the numbers below to determine how much each type of turkey will feed per person:
You should completely defrost a turkey in the refrigerator before grilling. Place the frozen turkey in its original wrapping on a tray in the refrigerator.
Allow 24 hours of thawing time for every four pounds of turkey. Never thaw poultry at room temperature.
If you’re using a fresh turkey, grill it just as you would a completely defrosted one. Since fresh turkey is highly perishable, check the “sell by” date before you buy. Buy the turkey only one to two days before you plan to cook it, and be sure to keep it refrigerated.
Whether you’re cooking on a charcoal grill or gas grill, make sure you have plenty of fuel. For gas grills, a full propane tank should last about 17 or 18 hours, so check your gas gauge before you start.
For charcoal grills, please refer to our chart to see how many briquettes you need over the course of the grill time. These apply to Weber Grills.
To avoid spreading dangerous bacteria to other foods, always wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces with hot soapy water after handling raw poultry.
Cook stuffing in a covered foil pan next to the turkey during the last 45 to 60 minutes of grilling time. It should get to an internal temperature of 160° F.
The best part about grilling your bird is that you don’t have to turn or baste. Simply set up the grill for indirect grilling, place the turkey in the center of the cooking grate, and close the lid.
The indirect heat method is similar to roasting but with the added benefits of that grilled texture, flavor, and appearance you can’t get from an oven.
Heat rises, reflects off the lid and inside surfaces of the grill, and slowly cooks the food evenly on all sides. The circulating heat works much like a convection oven, so there’s no need to turn the food or use a roasting pan.
Use the indirect method for foods that require 30 minutes or more of grilling time. Or use it for foods that are so delicate that direct exposure to the heat source would dry them out or scorch them. Examples include roasts, ribs, whole chickens, turkeys, and other large cuts of meat, as well as delicate fish fillets.
To grill by the indirect method on a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals evenly on either side of the charcoal grate. A drip pan placed in the center of the charcoal grate between the coals is useful to collect drippings to use for gravies and sauces.
It also helps prevent flare-ups when cooking fattier foods such as goose, duck, or fatty roasts. For longer cooking times, add water to the drip pan to keep drippings from burning.
Place the cooking grate over the coals, and place the food on the cooking grate, centered over the drip pan or empty space. Place the lid on the grill, and lift it only to baste or check for doneness at the end of the suggested cooking time.
To grill by the indirect method on a gas grill, preheat the grill with all burners on high. Then, adjust the burners on each side of the food to the temperature noted in the recipe. And turn off the burner(s) directly below the food.
For best results, place roasts, poultry, or large cuts of meat on a roasting rack set inside a disposable heavy-gauge aluminum foil pan. For longer cooking times, add water to the foil pan to keep drippings from burning.
Turkey is fully cooked when a meat thermometer registers 180° F in the thigh or 170° F in the breast (about 11 to 13 minutes per pound).
Once your bird is done, remove it from the grill, and allow it to rest 15 minutes before carving.
See the chart below for cooking times for unstuffed turkeys:
Once you’ve tried this grilled turkey recipe, you’ll never make one in the oven again.
For more how-tos and guides like this one, check out our other Grilling & Smoking articles.
